


Within This Vast Star

by clover71



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, M/M, Mecha, Space Stations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 01:29:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6932362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clover71/pseuds/clover71
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The space city Sirius was governed by a neutral country where any military means were prohibited but a sudden attack from the enemy had unlocked its deep dark secret and had awoken dormant abilities within Hijirikawa Masato and his friends to pilot the humanoid weapons called STARISH, which, along with the unexpected defection of the enemy's prime assassin, Jinguji Ren, could be the only hope of freeing their country from the enemy's clutches.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Within This Vast Star

**Author's Note:**

> \- I started writing this for a writing challenge but eventually abandoned this in favor of another fic entry. I'm posting it here for archiving and posterity's sake.  
> \- Here's hoping that I finish this and won't forever collect dusts in my WIP folder.  
> \- Not really a fusion because I changed the names of a lot of places but this is patterned after Kakumeiki Valvrave.  
> \- ETA: (6.21.2016) Excuse the sour attitude but I'm extremely stressed out with work, exhausted from meeting deadlines and dealing with bastards I come across with in real life, so spare me. Writing fanfics is my escape from all that so I write for myself, not for anyone else, and I post it here because this is my sanctuary. Anyone who comes across my fics are welcome to read but I am not asking for critique. I don't need it. If I do, I'll say so in my notes. If I don't say anything, that means I am not asking for it. I don't even expect reviews, but if you want to leave one in reaction to the story itself, feel free to do so. I have long established my writing styles, been writing for decades, so I don't need my writing to be judged, especially if it's merely a fan fiction, unless I specifically ask for it.
> 
>  
> 
>  **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Uta no Prince-sama and its characters. Copyright remains with the game developer, Nippon Ichi Software, Inc., the game's publisher, Broccoli, and the anime creator A-1 Pictures.  
> 
> 
> * * *

  
  
Students poured out of the buildings barely a minute after the melodic chime of the campus bell sounded – a clear indication that school day was over. Most of them were already gathering at the quadrangle in groups, voices mingling, discussing their activities for the rest of the day. This was the usual scenario for a Friday, probably the most chaotic scene anyone would see in Prism 7.

In reality, they lived under the canopy of what their government would like to define as peace.

Right. Peace. One thing that UNoA took pride of. UNoA. A neutral country void of any military presence. A nation that withstood the temptations of war throughout the decades.

Due to the treaty signed at the beginning of the epoch or the year after the end of the fourth world war on Earth, some small countries joined forces in a united decision to remain impartial to any influences brought by larger nations. Thus, United Nations of Asia was born. 

To avoid further encounters with factions that continued to fight for global dominance, UNoA had created a sanctuary in space, built prisms or clusters of space stations collectively known as Sirius then had seventy-five percent of its population migrate from Earth to their new home.

It was, in Tokiya's opinion, a cowardly way out. It had been little over two years since he moved to one of its prisms – Prism 7, to be specific – and was given a slot in Saotome Academy – one of the esteemed vocational schools housed in Sirius where only those invited by the headmaster and founder were allowed to enroll. 

Because he'd been in the spotlight since he was a child, Tokiya felt rather out of place in this new environment. The other students seemed adamant to put a wall between them and Tokiya couldn't care less. He wasn't there to socialize. He was there to survive.

That was until he met Ittoki Otoya. His roommate, and – much as Tokiya still refused to admit in his head – his first friend.

"Tokiya!" Otoya's voice rang clear across the campus. It wasn't that difficult to spot him despite being at the opposite side of the quadrangle. He stood out like a sore thumb in the sea of students loitering around the vast space of green grass that stretched between them.

Otoya was wearing his favorite red-hooded sweater, which was one of things that made it easy to pinpoint him among the crowd. The other thing exceptionally noticeable about him was his matching fiery red hair. Then there was the fact that he was loud and obnoxious, the way he was waving frantically and hollering Tokiya's name. His classmates from A class, Shinomiya Natsuki and Hijirikawa Masato, and Natsuki's roommate Syo were right behind him, all of them likewise beckoning Tokiya over. 

Tokiya had no choice but to acquiesce, seeing as all eyes were on him and some of them seeming to gauge whether he would socialize or prove that he was the loner he'd been rumored to be. He started to make his way towards Otoya and his friends (Tokiya was still uncertain whether they could call Natsuki, Masato and Syo his friends because, even though he'd been hanging out with the lot, he still felt it necessary to keep them at arms length), but he didn't have to make the long trek because they all met him halfway.

"Tokiya. We're all going to the Sims, why don't you come with us?" Otoya said as soon as Tokiya was within earshot.

"I…" Tokiya started, hesitating. It wasn't like he didn't enjoy being in simulation. It was one of the most popular form of entertainment at school, all right, but. Somehow Tokiya found it odd that a simulation game filled with battle scenes involving giant humanoid machines in clear virtual reality to be exclusively housed in the Academy. Wasn't Prism 7, being a part of UNoA, supposed to be free from anything relating to violence, regardless if they were merely games? Odd indeed.

"Oh come on, Tokiya," Syo said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not another excuse to study. We just finished a grueling week of exams. We should celebrate."

"Syo-chan's right. Besides, Cecil-kun's already at the Sims station to reserve spots for all of us since it is expected to be fully booked today," Natsuki piped in. "Then we can go for ice cream afterwards. There's this new shop in the district that Syo-chan have been dying to try out."

"Me? Don't you mean you?" Syo said in protest. 

"You might as well come along, Ichinose." It was Masato who spoke this time. Among the group, Tokiya had gotten along with Masato best, next to Otoya that is. Having gone through a strict upbringing (according to Otoya) since he was the son of the Prime Minister of UNoA, Masato was the most mature one in the group. But despite his father's political position, he remained down to earth and didn't let his father's influences get in his head. 

"Fine then." Tokiya sighed. He knew trying to find a way out would be futile. Over the past two years, he'd learned how persistent these guys could be with Otoya being the most. At least he didn't have to spend the rest of the day alone. Though he would never admit it, being part of a circle was kind of nice. 

The Sims station was, as Natsuki had predicted, full of students. But Cecil was able to reserve six pods for them. 

"I wanted to get the chambers, at least," Cecil said with a pout. "But Hyuga-sensei reminded me quite adamantly that it's not for recreational use."

True, the four larger chambers at the back had always been off-limits to students and Tokiya didn't give a damn to even waste time finding out why.

"Tokiya!" Otoya called out from the pod he had chosen. "Take this one!" He pointed at the one next to his with a large number sixteen in front.

This had become some sort of hobby for them and Tokiya would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. He slid inside the pod, strapped himself in the seat, tucked his school bag in the space underneath then slipped on the protective helmet and the control gloves. Soon, a monotone voice filled the pod.

"Simulation pod number sixteen, activated. Virtual scenario two-six-four-zero loading." 

The seat moved and Tokiya felt it inclining a little. The dashboard in front of him lit up, showing the familiar control buttons. He pressed the appropriate ones to prepare for the game.

"Pod sixteen launching in ten, nine, eight…"

The countdown matched every beat of Tokiya's heart, as if synchronizing with his body's rhythm. When he heard the counting reached one, the virtual screen was filled with white light, as if he was actually being launched through a ship bay then off into space. 

Battle ships appeared on the screen.

"Watch out, Tokiya! Behind you!" He heard Syo's voice over the speakers. 

_So. This is a linked simulation,_ Tokiya thought and wasn't surprised at all because that was how the other guys preferred to play. 

Tokiya's gloved hands flew across the control panel and soon, he was immersed into the game. So immersed that when the simulation was over and he slid out of his pod, he realized that three hours or so had passed. 

"That was a great game, wasn't it?" Otoya bounded next to him with a shit-eating grin, as if daring Tokiya to admit that he had fun.

"Yeah." Tokiya couldn't fight the smile that slid onto his lips. "Come on. I'll buy you ice cream. You can pick any kind or any flavor. My treat."

Otoya's eyes widened and sparkled like a pair of carmine jewels. "Really? Thank you, Tokiya!"

So they went to the ice cream shop next where they found two of Otoya's female classmates, Haruka and Tomochika. Tokiya didn't socialize with them much. Being friends with the guys was one thing but he was wary when it came to the girls. He couldn't tell whether they wanted to be acquainted with him because of the fact he was once an idol or if they genuinely wanted to be friends.

They didn't stay long. The shop was off campus and there was a curfew they had to follow. Besides, it was getting dark or at least the module's simulation displayed what nighttime was like on Earth. They were still required to follow Earth time, thus, they programmed the prism's top shell to resemble the sky and it changed according to what time it should be on their home planet. 

"Let's hang out at Masa's room," Otoya suggested and Masato surprisingly didn't utter any protest. 

Masato was among the few who had a room all on his own. No roommate, no one to share it with. It was a privilege, Tokiya presumed, that Masato had obtained for being a Hijirikawa. Though contrary to what almost everyone at school believed, the room wasn't huge as one would expect from a rich kid. Nor was it loaded. It was simple, to say the least. Masato claimed he didn't need so much space, as long as it was comfortable and reminded him of home. 

In that sense, his room seemed to have been a replica of the photos they see in Japanese history books, with tatami mats covering almost the entire space, a set of shoji screens separates the sleeping area where a fairly large and low bed could be found, a dark wooden shelf on one side of the room, a tansu on the other and a kaidan tansu at the corner closest to the door. 

There was also a very simple chabudai or low table in the middle where Masato often spent hours writing. His calligraphy tools were still on top, pushed to the side, and a tablet sat next to it. Otoya picked it up, turned it on and a photo of two children – one appeared to be Masato and a blond boy with calm blue eyes – flashed on the screen. 

"Is this you, Masa? Who's the other guy?" Otoya asked and before Tokiya could reprimand him for going through Masato's things without asking permission, Masato grabbed the tablet from Otoya's hands.

"No one. Just." He stared at the screen for a while, eyes glimmering as if he was caught in some sort of nostalgia, then turned it off, walked over to the tansu and slid the tablet inside the topmost drawer. Masato's voice seemed far off when he said, "He was a childhood friend." 

"Where is he now?" It was Cecil who asked, sounding genuinely curious instead of nosy.

Masato turned to face them, his eyes not meeting anyone's. Instead he looked out the window, said, "I don't know. I haven't seen him for almost ten years," as if his thoughts were drifting to a faraway place. "Last I heard, after his father died, almost a year after I moved to Sirius, he was taken in by his oldest brother. And after the attack in the old Japan seven years ago, he and his brothers seemed to have disappeared. Some people believed they were all dead, others think they have been captured and are still being held as hostages by Gate soldiers."

"Gate?" Tokiya wasn't one to be concerned of political affairs, but he had heard horrific stories about UNoAn citizens who had been brought to that dreadful country and had been turned into slaves. "Do you think he's still alive?" 

Masato met his gaze. He seemed to hesitate, but then said, "That's what I've been trying to find out."

"Trying to?" Natsuki started, cocking his head to the side as if prompting Masato to clarify what he meant. "If he was indeed brought to the Gate, I think it would be difficult to find him. I've heard the country is closed off to outsiders." He adjusted his glasses. "How will you—" 

"There are ways." Masato cleared his throat. "I uh… There's someone helping me gather information." 

"And?" Syo prompted when Masato didn't say anything else.

A crestfallen look fell over Masato's face. "It seemed his registry, as well as his brothers', had been erased. Like they never existed. For all I know, they could be dead."

They were all swept under a blanket of silence and the joyous atmosphere they had earlier seemed to have dissipated. 

 

*

 

"We've entered Sirius atmosphere. Awaiting permission to dock at Prism Seven," the pilot announced to no one in particular. 

Ren kept his head tilted back, eyes closed, listening to the voices that spilled from the cockpit. They didn't have to wait long until someone from the control bay gave them the clear and soon, the ship carrying him and his comrades was being moored into one of the docking tubes. 

"Let's go." Eiichi was the first to leave his seat while the rest of them unbuckled the safety belts before following suit. 

They glided into the decompression hatch where the anti-gravity field was still in place. Two personnel – a man and a woman – came to greet them. "Good day." It was the woman who spoke. "I presume you're the students from Southern Cross Institute who are here to observe at Saotome Academy, right?"

"That would be correct." Eiichi drifted forward, the slightest jerk of his finger was the sign that Ren needed to hover right next to him.

"May we see some identification?" the man said, holding up a scanning pen.

"Sure." Ren flicked his arm and the hunting knife he hid in the sleeve of his jacket flew right into his hand. With a couple of swipes, he slit the throats of the Prism 7 personnel, their blood floating in mid-air like crimson crystals. 

"Aw. That was quick. You took both of them out. You should have left one for me, Ren-chan," Nagi whimpered from behind Ren.

"Well, I'm not too fond of welcoming committees if they weren't made up of a bunch of pretty ladies anyway," Ren said, and as an afterthought, added, "And stop adding chan to my name."

Eiichi was obviously studying him. "You seemed pretty worked up, been noticing it since we left Gate. You're not nervous, are you?"

Ren leered at Eiichi with a raised eyebrow. "Me? Nervous? Are you fucking serious?"

"Eiichi is right, you know." Nagi floated beside him, gray eyes shining deviously. "You do seem… I don't know. Anxious?"

Had he been that transparent? Ren wondered. If he had, then he was probably losing his touch. He was just glad Kira wasn't saying anything. The fact he was the silent type had its advantages. "Can we just do what we came here for?"

"Well, you're the analyst." Eiichi said and Ren didn't miss the touch of sarcasm in his tone. "You should be able to figure out where to go from here, so lead the way."  


*

Otoya hated Mondays. Especially when it came after a week-long exam because Mondays like these meant a new pile of schoolwork. 

"And when I complained about it, Rin-chan gave me more work to do," he griped at his obviously unwilling audience.

Tokiya looked up from his phone with a frown. "That's Tsukimiya-sensei to you, Otoya. You shouldn't get too familiar with our teachers, you know," he reprimanded, the cold glare he pinned Otoya with would have made anyone cringe, but Otoya wasn't fazed. He was used to his roommate who seemed to have taken it upon himself to look after Otoya, always acting like a big brother, which was kind of nice, actually.

Natsuki stepped in Otoya's defense. "Ringo-sensei said it's fine to call him by first name. And I don't think he minds being called Rin-chan."

The sigh that left Tokiya sounded relenting but the words that left his mouth suggested otherwise. "Still. You shouldn't take advantage of your homeroom teacher's lenience."

"Aww. Lighten up, Tokiya. I—" The rest of Otoya's words failed to leave his mouth when he caught sight of Haruka heading their way with her friend, Tomochika. The two girls waved at them, Haruka's smile was enough to leave Otoya in a daze.

"You should ask her out already, you know," Syo said soft enough that Otoya wished the girls wouldn't hear given they were still a distance away. "You've been pining over her for more than a year now."

"Hey everyone!" Tomochika was the first to speak as soon as they were close enough. "Sorry to bother you on your lunch break, but Tsukimiya-sensei just assigned us to organize the school festival next month. Tomo-chan and I were wondering if you guys would like to help?"

"Sure," flew out of Otoya's mouth without thinking twice, his eyes not leaving Haruka. There was something about the way the sunrays touched her peach-colored hair that placed Otoya under some sort of spell. "I uh… I'd love to help, Nanami."

"We'll help, too," Cecil, Natsuki and Syo chorused but it was Syo who added, "Just let us know what we need to do."

Haruka turned to Masato. "What about you, Hijirikawa-san?"

"If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub," Masato recited.

The way Haruka stared at him with a blank expression suggested she had no clue what Masato meant so Otoya jumped in, said, "Masa's in too," then he looked at Tokiya. "What about you, Tokiya?"

"I'm busy with other things." Tokiya rose from the bench and slid his phone in his pant pocket. "I'll see you all later," he said then left in a hurried gait.

"Wait, Tokiya!" Otoya called after him but it was no use. Tokiya didn't even spare him a glance. "Tokiya," he uttered thoughtfully as he watched his roommate disappear inside the nearest school building. He was yanked out of his reverie when someone from his class showed up.

"Hijirikawa-san," Yajima said in between trying to catch his breath. His cheeks were tinted red and his face all sweaty, a clear sign that he'd been running. "The headmaster is summoning you to his office. He said it is of utmost importance and that you have to see him right away. Quote and quote."

Masato closed his eyes for a moment. Then he met Yajima's gaze and nodded. He pushed himself up from the grass, dusted off his pants and said, "I'll see you guys later."

All eyes seemed to be on Masato and Yajima until they both disappeared around the corner of the building that led to the headmaster's office. "I wonder what that's about," Syo mumbled under his breath.

"Probably has something to do with his father," Natsuki said, sounding presumptive. 

The melodic chime announcing the end of their recess resonated across the campus. 

"We'll go ahead, guys. We have to see Tsukimiya-sensei about the festival," Tomochika said before she and Haruka hurried off. 

Once Otoya was on his feet, he heard someone say, "Excuse me," from behind him in a deep, suave voice that sent chills down his spine. He spun around and was met with a pair of eyes the color of the ocean. "I was wondering if you could tell me where the headmaster's office is," the young man said, giving Otoya a lopsided smile. His long blond hair that reached down to his shoulders fluttered when the wind blew past them. There was something eerily familiar about him that Otoya couldn't put his finger on.

Natsuki sidled next to Otoya, gave the man a once over and said, "You're not from around here, obviously. Are you exchanged students by any chance?" 

"More like visiting students," a shorter boy with silvery pink hair bounded over to them. Like the blond guy, he was wearing a black uniform over a white dress shirt, their neckties plain blue in color with an emblem embroidered at the bottom – what looked like a bird's head framed within a pentagon-shaped shield. A strange aura seemed to emanate off of this other guy that made the hair at the back of Otoya's neck bristle.

"Ren. Nagi. Let's keep interaction with locals to a minimum," another guy from their group said. The sunlight bounced against the surface of his glasses, making it difficult to see his eyes but Otoya could feel the burn of his gaze against his skin. "Besides, Kira has a map. Let's go."

They all walked past students and onto the pathway that Masato and Yajima took earlier.

"Who the fuck are those guys?" Syo spat out, hands planted firmly on his hips. 

"I don't know. But we better hurry or we'll be late for our next class," Cecil pointed out, prompting them all to dash toward the building that housed their classroom. 

*

A shrill shriek of "Oniichama!" greeted him the moment he walked into the headmaster's office and the next thing Masato knew, he had an armful of a seven-year-old girl whose little arms clung to him as if he was her lifeline. 

"Mai." To say he was shocked to see his little sister would be an understatement. His eyes sprang over to the elderly man dressed in a black suit standing next to Saotome's desk. "Jii. What are you two doing here?"

"Your father's on the video comm.." It was the headmaster who responded. Saotome picked up a remote unit and pressed on a button. The large screen hanging on the right side wall flickered and soon, his father's face came into view.

"Masato." His father's tone held the usual firm indifference but there was something off with the way he spoke, like there was a slightest touch of worry in his tone. 

"Father. What's this all about?" Masato set Mai down on the floor but kept his hand on her back, not letting her go. 

"Your sister begged to see you, so I thought I'd send her over," Masaomi said, his face remained unreadable. "I understand that it will soon be summer break at your school, so instead of you heading home, which you've never done for the past two years, perhaps it would be good for Jii and Mai to stay with you for a while. I've arranged it with Saotome-san and he said that it's no problem at all."

Masato honestly didn't know how to react. He simply nodded and said, "Okay," without any questions asked. He never had a close relationship with his father. They hardly ever interacted, even when he still lived with him on Earth. They grew even more distant when they migrated to Prism 22 after his mother's death. There was always this awkward barrier between them thick enough to be unbearably suffocating. That was why transferring to Prism 7 to start school was the escape he needed.

The sharp, piercing gaze that made Hijirikawa Masaomi fearsome softened when he spoke next. "Masato," he enunciated so gently as if his name was fragile that it might break if uttered otherwise. "Take care of your sister, okay? Be careful."

It was like the universe was caught in a deadlock for that entire minute when his father's personality seemed to have taken a 180-degree turn. Masato was thrown off track. If he had no clue on how to deal with his father before, then this Hijirikawa Masaomi was even harder to deal with.

"Uh. Of course," were the only words coherent enough that Masato could articulate.

The expression that made his father look more human dissolved and his usual tough exterior was back in place. "Very well," he said then his gaze drifted over to Saotome who still sat behind his large desk, eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. 

Whatever words were said between the headmaster and his father were lost to Masato because he was too distracted with Mai constantly pulling on the hem of his shirt and whining, "Oniichama, oniichama. I want to see your school. You'll show me around, won't you?" in a pitch high enough to drown any other sound in the room.

"Sure. Only after I'm done with all my classes, okay?" he promised, mentally noting that he was already late for his next class.

Saotome must have read his mind – he was eerily cunning that way – and said, "I'll write you a slip, Hijirikawa-kun," then added, "Yajima, why don't you take Ms. Hijirikawa here and Jii-san to their room at the guest wing?"

"They can stay in my room, headmaster," Masato blurted out only to be cut off by Saotome's creepy laugh.

"Mr. Hijirikawa, are you forgetting that it's against school policy to house anyone who isn't a student or employee of this school in the dormitories? The guest wing was built for that purpose," he said and nodded at Yajima as a gesture for them to take their leave.

Masato gave his little sister a hug, whispered, "I'll see you later, I promise," and watched her walk out of the office with Jii, their family butler, and Yajima.

"Here you go," Saotome said, handing Masato a small slip of blue paper. "I've notified Ringo ahead so he already knows the reason for your tardiness."

"Thank you, sir." Masato lowered his head in a courtesy bow, tucked the note in his pocket and proceeded to the door. 

Deep down in his gut, Masato felt something wasn't quite right, that there was some sort of hidden message within his father's words. But what it was exactly, he had no clue.

His mind was still reeling with everything that had just happened when he stepped out of the headmaster's office, too lost in his own head that he didn't notice there were people outside. His shoulder collided against someone else's, sending a mild shock down his arm but not enough to knock him out of his musing. Masato didn't bother to look up – he was in a rush anyway – just lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry. Excuse me," then dashed down the hall as if his body was working on autopilot. 

*

The familiar thrill that coursed through his body soon after the impact made Ren stop in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Eiichi asked, eyes hidden beneath the glare of his glasses.

Ren glanced over his shoulder. The guy who had bumped into him was already rounding a corner but not fast enough that Ren was able to catch a glimpse of the hime-cut blue hair, triggering a tide of memories he had long buried in the deep recesses of his mind to come rushing to the surface. Memories of a boy he once knew from a life that seemed like a dream now flooded his thoughts, a boy he once called a friend, the only person who had ever made him feel like there was more to life than being the third son of the head of the Jinguuji clan. 

"Nothing," he said, facing Eiichi with his usual blithe expression to hide the fact he was lying. Ren was good at that and probably the only one who could fool Eiichi since the latter was pretty skilled when it came to reading people. "That jerk bumped into me. Thought I'd give him a good scolding but he's gone pretty quick."

"Well, let's avoid creating a scenario before we're able to gather the information we need." Eiichi moved to enter the headmaster's office and stopped short when they saw that the room was empty.

"Aww, no one's around," Nagi announced in an annoying singsong tone he often used when being sardonic and if Ren wasn't too distracted with the image of that blue-haired guy floating in his head, he would've returned his sarcasm ten folds.

"I could swear I heard voices in here earlier." Eiichi rubbed his chin with his finger, eyebrows drawn together. "And there was a guy who just stepped out of this room," he muttered in a way that made it seem he was talking to himself or thinking out loud. "Anyway. Nagi, Ren, scout the room in case anyone is hiding. Kira, you can use the headmaster's computer to hack into the school system and pull out the students' records."

"Eh? Haven't we tried that countless times?" Nagi countered. "I know Kira is good, but didn't he say the school's system is so secure and encrypted that it would take a miracle to break in."

Laughter – low and sinister – rumbled out of Eiichi's mouth. "Well, we're hoping for better results since we'll be breaking in from an internal system. Right, Kira?"

Kira only nodded and without a word, made his way behind the large desk. Ren knew breaking the password and accessing the headmaster's computer was child's play to Kira so it wasn't too surprising that he got it running in a matter of minutes. 

"Now, once you're able to hack into the school system, search for Hijirikawa's record. I have a feeling the Prime Minister hadn't requested for his son's name to be changed, if he didn't want his son to be curious on why it is necessary then risk of him discovering their government's secret as we presumed." Eiichi's tone held such authority that irritated Ren to no end. Sure their Commander had left Eiichi in-charge of this mission, but Ren wouldn't doubt the asshole was enjoying every minute of it.

"We're wasting too much time," Ren said, already ambling towards the door. He had a mission to complete and abducting the Prime Minister's son was a task entrusted to him. "I'll find out who Hijirikawa is in my own way. Why don't you guys concentrate on shutting down Sirius's protective shield and find out where they're hiding the secret weapon? Let's not waste our informant's effort in getting us that vital information."

"Wait. You're not even gonna help us here?" Nagi said in an irritatingly childish pitch.

"Look. I've done my part. I got us here, didn't I?" Ren disliked having to justify his actions, but Nagi had a unique way of pushing his buttons.

"Now that you've mentioned it, I'm curious." Nagi leaped up to sit on the edge of the headmaster's table and started swinging his legs. "How did you get into Prism twelve and what did you do to the Southern Cross exchange students and how did you manage to steal their vessel?"

Ren regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "I don't have to answer to you. But if you're so curious, I did what I usually do. I slit their throats – the students and the vessel's pilots. Smuggling myself into Prism twelve by hijacking the supply delivery vessel was the easier part." 

Nagi was obviously tiptoeing around him, looking for an opening. But Ren wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He was pretty sure none of his comrades or anyone from their unit had discovered what he really did to the students and the vessel's original pilot. Yet. 

"You're really good, Ren-chan," Nagi said, clapping his hands in a child-like manner. "Although I still think disabling the security camera in that hatch we came through by simply sending a knife through the lenses was reckless." He tilted his head, a mask of innocence in place but Ren knew how devious this kid could be. "Perhaps that's the reason why the headmaster isn't here. He had obviously escaped. Maybe someone saw what you did and told him? Or… Mmmaybe he saw it himself."

"I don't see you doing anything," Ren spat then spun on his heel and proceeded to the door. He had enough of Nagi's indirect accusations. 

Eiichi spewed out protests but Ren blocked him out, marched out of the office and followed the route that the blue-haired guy he saw earlier took. 

The campus was huge, which was quite unusual for a vocational school. But then again, this was said to be one of the most prestigious in Sirius. Recalling the public data he read, most students got into the Academy by invitation. And this screamed clues that this school was more than what it seemed in the surface.

One of the skills Ren took pride of was his cunning ability to track people so it didn't take him long to find the guy who bumped into him earlier. He saw him near a flight of stairs talking to another guy with the same hair color though darker in shade. Now that Ren could see the blue-haired guy almost up close, he was more certain that this was the person he was tasked to find.

There were only a few students loitering around and Ren tried his best to blend in, despite wearing a different uniform. Then he hid behind a wall where he could be close enough to hear the two young men's conversation.

"By the way, why aren't you in class, Ichinose?" the blue-haired guy said.

_Ichinose?_ Ren thought. No wonder the guy looked familiar. If it wasn't the former idol, Ichinose Tokiya. Not that Ren paid any heed to such insignificant matters, but while he was on a mission, he couldn't help but hear rumors about Tokiya's sudden disappearance from the limelight. So this was where he ended up.

"Hyuga-sense was summoned for an emergency meeting," was Tokiya's response. "What about you, Hijirikawa-san?"

The name struck Ren like lightning. There was no doubt now that this was the guy he was sent to incarcerate. Few people knew how Hijirikawa Masato looked like. His father was clever enough to keep his records and photos from the public for the last seven years, leaving only traces of a child Ren once knew.

_Masato._

"I was called into the headmaster's office soon after you left us earlier," Masato said and Ren took note of how his voice was deep and smooth and held a certain power that could potentially grab anyone's attention. "You left in a hurry. Was it because of Nanami?"

Creases formed between Tokiya's eyebrows. "What made you think she had anything to do with it?"

Masato's face was barely visible but Ren could see from an angle how the corner of his mouth curled up. "I don't think Ittoki like her that much," he said with a hint of amusement in his tone. "Why don't you just tell Ittoki how you feel about him?"

Ren saw Tokiya's eyebrow arch up. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about." There was a noticeable quiver in his voice that suggested Masato must have struck a nerve. 

"Deny all you want, Ichinose. But you're pretty much easy to read when you're around him."

The few students lingering in the area had made their way outside the building, leaving only Masato and Tokiya. Ren took this as his cue so he moved swiftly towards the two young men. Masato's eyes grew wide the moment he saw Ren.

"Hijirikawa Masato." The name rolled around Ren's tongue with familiar fondness. "How long has it been? Ten years?" He studied Masato now that he was closer, noting how he hadn't changed much. Same hairstyle and the beauty mark under his right eye was still prominent as ever. His eyes though had lost their childlike roundness and the shape of his face was sharper, his jaws were more angled and steep. Regardless, he was still as beautiful as Ren remembered.

"Ji-jinguji Ren?" Masato stammered out, still gaping at Ren with clear disbelief. "You're alive after all. What are you doing here? Where have you been all these years?"

"Too many questions, Hijirikawa. Apparently, I don't have time to answer them. And besides," Ren reached inside his jacket, unclasping the safety strap from the holster and curling his fingers around the grip of his maser gun, "Where I've been these past years apparently is classified information. I can tell you but." He pulled out his weapon and aimed it at Masato. "I'm going to have to kill you afterwards."

It was Tokiya – who reacted first, blurted, "What the—" and took a step back but stilled when Ren directed the gun at him.

"I can't leave any witness alive now, can I?" Ren warned, deliberately dropping his voice in a low octave to sound menacing. He pointed the weapon back to Masato. "It's nice to see you again, Hijirikawa. Too bad I would have to cut this touching reunion short."

"What's this about, Jinguji? What do you want from me?" Masato remained calm and unaffected, something Ren didn't expect because he remembered Masato as a timid child – a result of his strict upbringing.

Ren's lips parted but before any word could slip out, he heard Eiichi speak behind him. "So you found him," he said, applauding. "Good job."

_Shit._ Ren didn't count on Eiichi being there, didn't plan on having Eiichi see Masato.

When Eiichi said, "Now do what you were sent here to do and let's get out of here. Kira found the location of their secret weapon and is disabling the force field as we speak. Nagi had already contacted the main ship. The second wave would be here in a minute. These Unoans wouldn't know what hit them," Ren had a moment of internal panic.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._ This wasn't going according to his plan. His grip on the weapon tightened, finger sliding on the trigger button. "Afraid I can't follow through with the commander's orders," he said and without giving Eiichi a chance to sputter out a response, Ren whirled around and fired at his comrade, aiming for the chest. But Eiichi was fast. He docked out of the way, the laser beam grazing him on the shoulder instead.

Ren was faster though. Before Eiichi could get his bearings back, Ren grabbed Masato's arm and beckoned Tokiya to follow. They dashed through the right wing of the building. 

The earlier scouts dispatched by Gate had been able to procure a blueprint of the school and Ren had the privilege to see it. With the image burned in his head, he was certain there should be a hatch leading to a possible escape nearby.

When he found it, he lifted the metal panel, told Masato to "Jump in," and wasn't surprised to see the hesitance flash on Masato's eyes.

"Do you seriously know where this leads?" Masato said with a frown. 

"To an underground ventilation passage," was Ren's perfunctory explanation. He could hear footsteps approaching, could hear Nagi and Eiichi's voices. "Now hurry."

Without another word, Masato slid into the gap, followed by Tokiya. Ren was the last to jump in. He held onto the edge long enough so he could pull the panel back in place as quietly as he could. Then he let go and he slid along the curve of the metal tube until his feet landed on flat ground. 

"Now explain yourself," Masato demanded without preamble, arms crossed and eyes piercing right through Ren. 

"Can't it wait a little longer?" Ren brushed his fingers through his long blond hair. "Why don't you introduce me to your friend first?"

"Jinguji, Ichinose Tokiya. Tokiya, Jinguji Ren. Now talk." The deathly glare that Masato had fixed him with didn't waver, not for a second.

Ren knew stalling wouldn't get them anywhere. "Fine," he said, sighing. "I'll give you a concise version. The Gate believes UNoA is in possession of a secret weapon. A mech. So a team that includes me has been sent here to find it although I was given a separate mission. Commander Otori intends to overthrow the current leader of Gate by taking over UNoA. To do that, he planned to make your Prime Minister submit to him. And to do that—"

"You need to take me into custody, as a hostage." Masato appeared to be unfazed, eyes narrowed, pinning Ren in place. 

"Yes, but that's not what I really intend to do." Ren started to move further into the passageway and was relieved when he sensed Masato and Tokiya trailing after him. "I plan to find that weapon first and use it to revolt against Gate and hopefully free my eldest brother in the process. He's being held captive on Earth."

Tokiya was the one to react, said, "I don't think such weapon even exists," while keeping at Ren's pace. "This country is neutral. We don't have any military means."

"You seriously believe that Ichi?" Ren said as he rounded a corner, eyes searching diligently for an opening.

"Ichi?" 

Masato snorted in an irascible manner. "You haven't changed much, Jinguji. And don't bother protesting, Ichinose. He has a ridiculous habit of naming people." 

Ren could hear signs of commotion from the upper level. The second wave must have arrived. "We need to hurry."

"Wait." The urgency in Masato's voice forced Ren to a halt. "My sister. She's here with our butler Jii."

"Sister?" This was something new. Masato was an only child the last time Ren saw him. He must have had a sister afterwards and this bit of information was undoubtedly kept from the public by the Prime Minister.

"Yes. She was born in Sirius, a couple of years after we last saw each other, so you couldn't have known about her," Masato explained. "I have to go back to save her."

"We can't go back now." Ren knew his priority was to get Masato out of there. He didn't plan on him having a sister and at the school of all places. This was going to make things more complicated, _Damn it!_

"I can call one of the guys. Kurusu-kun. He should be out roaming around." Tokiya was already pulling out his phone. "We need to warn them anyway." Wrinkles formed on his forehead when he glanced at the screen. "I'm not getting any signal."

"They must've jammed the local signals," Ren said, hand digging into his pocket. Then he fished out his phone, tapped the codes he knew would override the signal block that Kira no doubt already had in place. "What's your friend's number?" he asked and typed away as it was dictated then he handed his phone to Tokiya. "Here. This should break the jamming codes, both from this phone and your friend's."

"Thanks." Tokiya took the offered gadget. His thumb slid on the surface then brought it against his ear. "Kurusu-kun," he said only after a few seconds. "I know, we seem to be under attack by Gate or something. Look, I'll explain in details later but you have to head to the guest dormitory right now. Hijirikawa's sister is there with their butler. She should be around…" he glanced at Masato to ask, "How old is she and what's her name?" and after Masato had given his clipped response, Tokiya reverted back to the phone conversation. "She's seven and her name is Mai." There was a pause before Tokiya added, "Hijirikawa-san is with me. Someone is helping us escape. We're somewhere underground so you should be able to get to her faster. You need to hurry." Once he lowered the hand he held the gadget with, he told Masato in particular that, "Syo said he'll take care of it." He handed the phone back to Ren with a muttered 'thanks.'

A strident sound reverberated from above and the walls around them trembled. "We should go. Now." Ren rushed forward and without turning, he could sense Masato and Tokiya following close behind. 

.  
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be continued soon, hopefully. I'm using this fic as an entry to WIP Bigbang. Let's see if that will motivate me to finish this piece.


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